An inquest into the death of a student from Leicester has heard that first year students would crawl through sheep hurdles, drink vodka from a pig's head and have their heads shaved at the "initiation-style" event which caused the death.

Ed Farmer died at Newcastle's Royal Infirmary in December 2016 after a society night out.

The 20-year-old who attended schools in Tugby, Stoney Stanton and Oakham was found unconscious at an Agricultural Society event on December 12.

An inquest at Newcastle Coroners' Court heard that Ed was among the 20 first year students who started the evening with a city centre bar crawl where they were encouraged to drink triple vodka oranges by second and third year students.

Chairman of the society at the time and second year agricultural student, James Carr said the night out was held every year to welcome new students, reports Chronicle Live.

He told the hearing that around 100 trebles were ordered in one round at both Beyond Bar and Basement, and that "not particularly desirable food" including chicken's feet and raw potato was passed around, before they all headed back to his house.

Mr Carr said: "I wasn’t there when it happened but the plan was for them to crawl to the garage, have their heads shaved and take shots of vodka from a pig’s head, as had happened to us the previous year.”

It is not known whether Mr Farmer participated in any of the "games", but the inquest heard he was carried off the Metro and driven to a house when his fellow students noticed he was "not in a good state".

Mr Carr told the hearing Mr Farmer was put in the hallway of the house - and at some point he noticed his head had been shaved by another student.

He recalled Mr Farmer was “snoring audibly loudly” - which medical evidence revealed was a sign his airways were obstructed.

Mr Carr said: “Extremely naively and stupidly it made me think he was asleep. I was unaware of the significance.”

He told the inquest he went to bed before another student came into his room to say they "needed to get Ed to hospital".

Mr Carr fought back tears as he said: “I ran downstairs and saw Ed, who was no longer breathing.

“Quickly I put him in my car and drove to the RVI. I then stayed at the hospital until we were taken for questioning by the police.”

Ed Farmer died from 'excessive drinking'. (Image: ncjMedia Ltd , , ,)

The inquest heard Mr Farmer had finished consuming alcohol at around 11.30pm on the night of the event and was admitted to hospital at 5am the next day.

Asked by coroner Karen Dilks if he had felt peer pressure as a fresher the year before, he said: "I felt pressure but I wouldn’t say I was forced.

“If a student didn’t want to drink he wouldn’t have been forced.”

Mr Carr said he was aware initiation ceremonies had been banned by the university.

But he added: “You don’t have to take part to be a member of the agricultural society, and you can leave at any point, as many people did.

“At the time I remember saying I didn’t want to do it because we could been caught.

“Obviously if I could turn back the clock and not do it, it’s a no-brainer.”

When asked about his understanding of the risks of binge drinking, he said, “You don’t consider the consequences unless something dramatic happens.

“What did happen never even crossed my mind.”

The inquest also heard evidence from Newcastle Hospitals intensive care consultant Dr Peter Benjamin Messer, who said Ed’s blood alcohol levels when he was admitted were 400 milligrams per decilitre - a level that “would be associated with fatality”.

Dr Messer was asked whether the outcome would have been different if he had arrived earlier at hospital.

He said: “Assuming he hadn’t had a cardio respiratory arrest before that, there would be little doubt in saying that had he been in hospital it would be extremely unusual for him to have sustained a cardio respiratory arrest.